Livia Shapiro – Anusara Yoga Teacher [Testimonial]

Livia Shapiro – Anusara Yoga Teacher

“Three weeks after working with Luke, I had a significant symptom resolved. After several months, have improved moods, digestion and energy. I eat a greater variety of foods, which I really enjoy. I definitely have less anxiety about what to eat. I discovered that certain foods that I had been eating quite frequently were actually causing me problems. I don’t tailor myself to a diet, my diet is now tailored to me.

I feel a lot better. I’m not physically uncomfortable anymore. Not only that, but my yoga is stronger, and I have more energy and focus for my students.”

Interviewer: Tell us about your yoga practice.

Livia: Yoga is my life. I practice and teach Anusara – a practice that goes much deeper than just stretching and strengthening the body. It’s about connecting to ourselves on the deepest level.

I support my students to expand the conversation about their lives. Everything should be expanding. Sometimes its difficult, painful…you know… to be honest and vulnerable. To really look at the truth about ourselves and life. Just like yoga- poses can be uncomfortable but they help us go beyond what we thought was possible.

And we extend what we learn on the mat into the rest of our lives. Yoga is everything: fun, relationships, self-care, meditation, nutrition.

Interviewer: How did you decide to become a yoga teacher?

Livia: I really didn’t decide, yoga chose me actually. I started practicing at age 17 and it just grew and grew. There were no other options really. I feel like on a cellular level this is what I’m meant to do. I’m here to help people get in touch with their spirits – to wake them up. I want people to know that there is another way to be, that they can really stretch into themselves fully, and that it is safe to do that.

Interviewer: Why did you first decide to seek out Luke as a health coach?

Livia: I wasn’t feeling great, I was having health issues, even though I was on a vegan, raw, organic diet. I just had a gut instinct that my diet wasn’t meeting my needs. I wanted a more holistic approach to my relationship with food, and when a student of mine told me about Luke, I set up a consultation and his approach really made sense to me. So I signed on for his 6 month program.

Interviewer: Which of your original goals have been met working with Luke?

Livia: I am definitely getting more out of my relationship with food. Three weeks after making some shifts I had a pretty significant symptom resolved. I have improved moods, digestion and energy. I eat a greater variety of foods, which I really enjoy, and I am much less rigid in my mindset about food.

Interviewer: Have there been any unexpected benefits?

Livia: I definitely have less anxiety around food now, which is great. Instead of thinking I have to eat a certain way and on a certain schedule, my body tells me what to eat and when. No more strict food rules.

Also, Luke has supported me in other areas of my life, like being powerful in my communication in key relationships, clarifying my mission as a yoga teacher, letting go of negative thinking, and he’s even helped me slow down. I don’t eat and multi-task as much as I used to. This really helps my digestion.

Interviewer: What have you discovered about your unique relationship to food?

Livia: Well, Luke encouraged me to experiment with eating meat, and my body really responded in a positive way. And I discovered that certain foods that I had been eating quite frequently were actually causing me problems. We also explored food combinations and my ideal ratio of fats, protein and carbohydrates at each meal. There really is no one diet that works for all people.

I feel a lot better. I have a much more inclusive and nurturing approach to food. I discovered I can be much more gentle. I don’t tailor myself to my diet, my diet is tailored to me.

Interviewer: How has Luke’s coaching supported you to be more effective as a yoga teacher?

Livia: Well, for starters, I’m not physically uncomfortable anymore. Not only that, but with the addition of meat, my yoga is stronger. Functioning more optimally, feeling good, I’m able to offer more energy and focus to my students.

And, there is a real parallel between Luke’s teachings and what I teach in yoga: through mindfulness we use yoga and nutrition to energize and balance us, never following rigid prescriptions, but really listening to what the body is asking of us. Adapting to and flowing with change, we get the best results. It’s like a dance!

Luke does yoga with food – holding the space for people to go beyond what they thought was true and possible, to expand and grow into new possibilities.

Interviewer: What do you see for your future?

Livia: (She laughs) Lot’s of bar-be-que’s… with chicken! No really though, my body has responded well to eating meat.

As far as I’m concerned, my future is infinite possibility. I see myself being free and following my heart- not being fixed about how to eat, be, and look, and always learning and expanding my ability to serve.

Career-wise, my next step is to move out to Boulder, Colorado to get my Master’s in Somatic Psychology from Naropa University.

Interviewer: How would you describe Luke as a health and nutrition coach?

Livia: Working with Luke is fun, and his approach is very pragmatic. He gives me 2-week experiments, one goal at a time, which allows me to follow through despite a busy schedule.

Luke inspires me and guides me to listen to my own intuition. He focuses on empowering me as the client: teaching me to fish, so to speak, and not just giving me fish by prescribing me a dietary plan. He is kind, intuitive, and gentle. He definitely speaks my language!

Interviewer: What types of people would you recommend work with Luke?

Livia: Really, all kinds of people as long as they have an open-mind, first and foremost. I definitely recommend Luke to other yoga teachers, wellness practitioners, and anyone in service-oriented work. It’s so important for us to be well, so that we can fully bring our gifts to the world. Luke’s approach is all about enhancing life. There was nothing wrong with me or my life, but I knew that much more was possible. I recommend Luke to anyone who is hungry to take their life to the next level… ready to expand. It’s so much more than just food. It’s about living an inspired life.